Getting Started

So you want to break into the video game industry (you want a game biz job). First, you have to know which type of job you want -- if you don't know which you want, you need to read about the game industry and the types of jobs in it. Then you might need to make a decision. Third, you need to be qualified for the job. Fourth, you need to know how to find information and how to ask good questions (you need to not ask bad questions). Finally, we have tips for getting the job.

Hi. I'm going to be applying for QA positions in the next few weeks so I've been working on a resume and cover letter. I have a pretty extensive background playing games competitively and I was wondering if this would be something I should include in my resume or if I should leave it out. Would that be of any benefit to me to include or would it be considered irrelevant or make me seem arrogant?

Thanks, I know QA and competitive gaming are entirely different things. From the perspective of a developer I can imagine that having testers who are good at the game they're testing would be a valuable asset, but I have no idea how people in HR would view putting things like gaming experience on a resume.

I have a pretty extensive background playing games competitively and I was wondering if this would be something I should include in my resume

It doesn't belong in a resume, really. You WILL be asked about games you've played, if you get an interview. You can mention your background in your cover email - and maybe allude to it in your "profile" section of your resume, if you have one.

That was written before I noticed the "competitively" in what you said. If you were a pro gamer,and you were paid to do it, you MUST include it, as you would any job.

If you did it just for fun and glory, it's worth mentioning, but you'll need to show (by what's in your resume and how you write your cover email) that you are a communicator and technical problem solver, not only a player.

I have no idea how people in HR would view putting things like gaming experience on a resume.

They will probably assume you would get bored quickly and quit.

Edited by Tom Sloper, 27 December 2012 - 07:33 PM.

-- Tom SloperSloperama ProductionsMaking games fun and getting them done.www.sloperama.com

Please do not PM me. My email address is easy to find, but note that I do not give private advice.

- Methodical approaches used in gaming would apply to QA work because of

- - Strong attention to detail,

- - Tree/List building to break down application/game mechanics and determine weak points.

- - Discussions with other players to identify defects over intended game mechanics/Business Logic.

Of course it also matters where you are interviewing. Is this the sort of place you think has a sense of humor? of so, go for it. When I went to work at Microsoft, in QA, I included Foosball on my resume, because I knew they had a table in the break room. I got the offer.

However, it is my experience the the farther east you go, the less people have a sense of humor in the work place.

If they seem more polished, suit wearing, etc... you may want to refrain. Just include what you can easily make your resume work.

Remember, most places don't have a checklist of point-based questions in an interview, so the person who gets the job is the one who makes the best general impression. Having game experience on your resume might give you that memorable/likable edge over the other candidates.

Moltar - "Do you even know how to use that?"

Space Ghost - “Moltar, I have a giant brain that is able to reduce any complex machine into a simple yes or no answer."

hpdvs2 brought up a good point that I think everyone can benifit from; do your research before applying and tailor your resume to suit. The fact that you learned they had a foosball table in their break room and customized your resume to reflect that may show the person hiring that you have attention to detail and are really interested in the company. Every resume you put out there should be custom made or edited to fit with the position and company you are applying to.

It doesn't have to be something silly either. If a company has a history of developing for a specific platform and you've worked on something relating to the platform, you should include it in your resume. Just use some common sense and you'll do fine.